How’s the New Year going so far?
There are currently mountains of articles and blog posts encouraging reflection and evaluation as the New Year begins.
Is this post any different? Probably not!
This is an ideal time to let go of all the worst parts of the past year and look forward with hope and optimism.
Do the remnants of the past guide our future?
“Any new beginning is forged from the shards of the past, not from the abandonment of the past.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough
I believe there are always lessons to be learnt from our history.
When you look back, how do you answer the following questions?
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Who and what event (s) or experience (s) inspired and motivated you?
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What talents or abilities helped you this past year?
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If there were any failures or mistakes last year what were they, and what did they teach you about yourself?
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If you could change one thing from the past year, what would it be?
Your responses to these questions can help create your intentions for this New Year.
Intentions
What do you have in mind for this year? Do you have a purpose or plan?
As a New Year begins recent counselling conversations have included these intentions.
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Knowing my strengths and creating new opportunities
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Becoming more proactive and in charge of my life.
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Improving my lifestyle, health and wellbeing
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Building a sense of hope and optimism
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Making a difference in my community, family, and relationship
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Improving my interactions with people
Do any of these resonate with you?
A popular intention to be more courageous and move out of a comfort zone has also emerged in recent sessions.
Mandela describes this notion beautifully below:
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ~Nelson Mandela
Too ambiguous?
A common problem with developing intentions and purpose is that they become too vague and wishy-washy.
Make your purpose and intentions concrete, realistic and accountable.
Don’t abandon yourself!
It’s so easy to get distracted and lose sight of what matters. We get distracted, maybe complacent. Therefore, any intentions for the year need to be kept in mind.
Instead of abandoning the purpose and intention of your year have them show up as reminders. You can do this in a number of ways:
- On your phone – smart phones are great at notifying us of lots of stuff! Find out how to make technology help you to remember your purpose and intentions
- Write them where you can see them – post it notes are useful
- Share them with a friend or partner – share with someone, make yourself accountable
- Start journaling them – journaling is about writing private notes, thoughts, ideas about your experience of life
